A special city hosts Special Olympics: Games come in March to Turin, a city of art, industry and history

The city of Turin, Italy, will host the Special Olympics World Winter Games from March 8 to 15. Italy has hosted regular Olympics games which are held every four years on three occasions, the winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo in 1956, the Summer Olympics in Rome in 1960 and the Winter Olympics again in in 2006. Because of this it is well prepared to host winter sport events.

The Alpine Village of Sestiere near Turin will once again host Olympic events. | ADOBE

The Special Olympics World Games take place every two years and alternate between summer and winter games, a schedule similar to the Olympics and Paralympics. The games were founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver to highlight the incredible power of sport and to establish inclusion and support for people with intellectual and physical disabilities.

The Winter Games will host 1,500 athletes arriving from 102 countries who will vie for medals in eight disciplines. Turin (known as Torino in Italian) will be the site for competition in floorball, figure skating and short track skating while nearby Sestiere, part of the metropolitan area of the city, will be the venue for alpine skiing and snowshoeing events. Bardonecchia, in the upper Susa Valley of metropolitan Turin, will be the setting for dance sport and snowboarding events and Pragelato will feature cross country skiing. In all the event expects to welcome over 100,000 spectators, more than 1,000 coaches and worldwide media coverage.

The Holy Shroud of Turin housed inside St. John the Baptist Cathedral. | ADOBE

With so many visitors flocking to Turin in March, the city will have a chance to reveal many other historical and natural treasures that will interest and delight visitors attending the games and for those visiting Italy at other times of the year.

The city evokes more of an image of Paris than an Italian city with wide cobblestone avenues, luxurious Baroque and Art Nouveau buildings and a promenade along the Po River. It is located halfway between Milan and the French border and surrounded by the Western Alpine arch. Turin was ruled for centuries by the French Savoy family and was the first capital of united Italy from 1861 until 1865. The city has since gained prominence as the home of the Shroud of Turin, as the birthplace of Fiat and vermouth and the site of the second-largest Egyptian museum in the world as well as many other places of historical and cultural significance.

The FIAT 500 Topolino was featured in the 1953 film “Roman Holiday.” | PINTEREST

Turin is sometimes referred to as “the cradle of Italian liberty” for having been the political and intellectual center of the Risorgimento that led to the unification of Italy. The city became a major European crossroad for industry, commerce, and trade, and is part of the industrial triangle along with Milan and Genoa. It is ranked third in Italy, after Milan and Rome, for economic strength.

It has a rich culture and history, and is known for its numerous art galleries, restaurants, churches, palaces, opera houses, piazze, parks, gardens, theatres, libraries, museums, and much more. Its architecture spans from Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassical to Art Nouveau and many of its public squares, castles, gardens, and elegant palazzi, were built between the 16th and 18th centuries.

Bicerin Torinese is a favorite hot drink with layers of hot chocolate, coffee, and lightly whipped cream. | ADOBE

The architectural symbol of Turin is the Mole Antonelliana. It began as a synagogue in 1863 under the direction of Italian architect Alessandro Antonelli and was completed in 1897 by the city council as the site of a museum honoring the Risorgimento. Between 1878 and 1880, a 168-meter-tall spire was added which made it the most recognizable landmark of Turin’s skyline. It was destroyed by a tornado in 1953 but was rebuilt with the original design in 1961. Today the tower offers spectacular 360-degree views across the city to the surrounding hills and the Savoy Alps.

The Mole Antonelliana now houses the National Cinema Museum, tracing the film industry’s origins to the modern day through interactive exhibits packed with memorabilia and cinematography equipment.

The Shroud of Turin at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist is a must-see for visitors who may also want to learn more about its history by spending some time at the Museo della Sindone which explains the history of the shroud.

Turin is also home to much of the Italian automotive industry, hosting the headquarters of Fiat, Lancia, and Alfa Romeo. Fiat was founded in 1899 as the Società Anonima Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino. Giovanni Agnelli was on the board of directors, but quickly distinguished himself as the company’s innovator and became managing director of Fiat in 1902.

In 1900, the first Fiat factory opened in Corso Dante, with a workforce of 150 people who produced 24 cars in the first year. When Italy hosted the first Car Tour of the country, nine Fiats crossed the finish line. In 1908 Fiat opened its first company in the United States.

In 1908 a Fiat was a luxury item but in 1957 it was produced as an affordable, compact city car for the masses in post-war Italy. From the mid-1960s to the 1990s Fiat began to acquire other well-known Italian brands such as Lancia, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, and Maserati. As such it is noted as the automobile capital of Italy and has often been compared to its “twin city” Detroit.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, Fiat cars have been chosen by global film makers as a model representation of Italian lifestyle and culture in their movies, documentaries, and commercials. Who could forget the 1953 film “Roman Holiday,” which featured several Fiats in multiple scenes? Perhaps the best known is the Fiat 500 Topolino in which Gregory Peck takes Audrey Hepburn to Palazzo Colonna Museo where they bid a tearful farewell.

Over 70 years later, in 2023 the vintage Fiat 500 once again represented Italian elegance in “Misson Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One,” when the vintage little yellow car was featured in a spectacular car chase set in the streets of Rome.

Turin is a green city, and its residents and visitors can enjoy many parks and green spaces. The most famous park is Valentino Park, which offers plenty of places to relax and enjoy a picnic or to grab a coffee, beer, or drink at one of the many kiosks. The area is close to the Po River and its promenade and also boasts rose gardens, a medieval village, and areas for cycling and running.

The city is surrounded by verdant hills on one side and the Italian Alps on the other. For an easy hike you can meander up to the Basilica Di Superga hill and time it to view a spectacular sunset over the city and then come back down on a historic tram. If you are looking for a guided adventure in the Alps or are an experienced hiker, the city is about one to two hours from outdoor mountain adventure.

For food and beverage lovers the city is well known for what it offers to residents and visitors. Martini & Rossi was founded here in 1863, and this makes Turin the birthplace of vermouth and the traditional aperitivo.

Some of the best wines in the world such as Barolo and Barbaresco are produced in the region. Residents and visitors can savor top-notch coffee for breakfast or a pick-up espresso as there are many factories in the area. Lavazza brand has its headquarters here and there is a Lavazza Museum which offers an immersive experience in coffee culture.

The traditional food from Piedmont is another reason to visit as the region is packed with farms and local producers and each season offers different ingredients and specialty dishes. Some favorites include antipasto such as Tramezzino, Bagna Cauda or Vitello Tonnato. Traditional Grissini and regional cheese’s such as Tomini, Castelmagno, or Raschera are other favorites and main dishes such as Brasato al Barolo or a pasta dish like Agnolotti del Plin are well loved. And don’t forget anything with truffles that is sure to delight your taste buds!

With 40 percent of the country’s chocolate production, Turin and Piedmont are considered
Italian chocolate masters. Nutella was first produced here and while other areas produce various chocolates only those made in this region use Piedmontese hazelnuts, as well as high-quality cocoa and other ingredients.

Lastly, I would be remiss not to note that Turin is home to the association football club Juventus and was a host city of the 1934 and 1990 FIFA World Cups. It was also the venue for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 and is hosting the tennis ATP Finals from 2021 until 2025.

Turin has something for everyone, art lovers, museums buffs, history afficionados, nature lovers, sports fans, car enthusiasts, and foodies. It is less crowded than some of Italy’s other major cities and may just be the place for you on your next visit to Italia!